Glass Ruler BundleThe Glass Ruler Bundle includes two rulers, one inch and one centimeter. Draw and measure with accuracy, the grid overlay allows for precise alignment when placed above an existing drawing. Also available individually.

Strip Tape DispenserThis reinvented tool is as sculptural as it is functional. Referencing a packing tape dispenser, the handle allows it to sit in a pencil cup or on a desktop.

THE BOX
THE BOX is a perforated sheet metal box that allows people to define its usage, its airy appearance brings consistency of organization to the objects stored in its compartments. With two sizes, THE BOX can be variously arranged to fit your living or working spaces.

One Piece Organizer
With several available colors and three configurations to choose from, the One Piece Organizer is a win-win. Everyday office supplies will fit ‘The Classic‘, ‘The Architect‘ has room for bulky markers, pens, and drawing materials, and ‘The Geek‘ holds a phone, a tablet, and batteries.

BLOCK
Not cheap, but oh so beautiful. BLOCK comes 12, 13, and 15″ sizes to fit the latest design of MacBooks. The body is made from Statuario Marble from Carrara, Italy while the feet are polyethylene.

I’ve barely started this post and I already feel naked. Last year was difficult for a multitude of reasons, and the hard and fast truth of it is that my business was one of the bigger ones. I won’t sugarcoat it or try to distract you with pretty words – although maybe some nice photos might help? At times this journey with FreshBooks has felt like picking up the rug only to discover the dirt underneath, or putting on makeup to hide the flaws. It’s made me take a very real, very deep look into my future and the future of this site.

Blogging is a funny business. It’s not even one that existed in a professional capacity when I started Design Crush almost eleven years ago, and it’s definitely not a career path I planned for myself. But I fell in love and absolutely adore what I do here, and at times probably border on being a bit of a workaholic because of it. But what was once one person sitting behind a desk or on a couch or at a dining room table putting something out into the void of the internet is now a career that includes teams, financial backers, and the dreaded pivot to video. Algorithms seem to change with every week, decimating audiences that have been hard-fought for. Then there’s the game of comparison, and reminding oneself that someone else’s endgame isn’t going to look the same as your middle. So is this my middle or am I nearing my end? Who knows.

What I do know is that even ten years later I’m still figuring it out as I go.

Last year I was able to get the financial side of Design Crush on lockdown with the help of FreshBooks, and I can honestly say that thanks to them I don’t hate dealing with money nearly as much as I once did. Having all of my invoices present and accounted for on a platform that’s well designed and intuitive with a slew of other features that I actually use has made it loads less painful. It’s so gratifying to see the charting of my earnings throughout the year, and time previously spent on my finances can be dedicated towards making those numbers go up! (Because no, product offers unfortunately do not pay the bills.)

Like I said, I’m far from having it all figured out. I don’t want to hire a team or have financial backers or pivot to video, and I never did. But one of the most important qualities any small business owner can have is adaptability and I’m certain some changes will be inevitable. And when they show up I’ll learn to roll with the punches just like I have over the last decade. (DECADE!)

Thanks for coming along with me on this four part journey! It’s been eye-opening and mildly nauseating to say the least, but I wanted to give you an honest look at what goes on behind the scenes and through my mind – usually at all hours of the night. If you missed the first three parts of the series with FreshBooks you can catch up here, here, and here.

This post sponsored by FreshBooks. All words and opinions are my own, as always. Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep Design Crush creating fresh content!

I’ve found lighting has everything to do with how productive I can be in a day. If I don’t turn on a lamp in the room I’m working in before mid-afternoon, I definitely go slower as the sun drops in the sky. Most days this means switching on the task lamp that’s on my desk. Task lamps have a classy, literary look about them that’s especially welcoming during the winter months – here’s a hot dozen.

Holy November! It always feels like Halloween is the impetus for the snowball of holidays that occur this month and next, so it’s best to get your days straight. Start by updating your desktop with this month’s calendar.

I’m filling your screen with pretty home photos because I finished my extended 2016 taxes two weeks ago and I’m still recovering. Putting myself – and my accountant – through that mess only served to support my decision to move on to a more informed process, making this third post about using FreshBooks very timely. Up until this point I think I’ve taken for granted everything that’s going on behind the scenes after I enter invoices, receipts, etc., but now I’m very much looking forward to handing over a completely organized file on time next April.

But before I get into a few more of my favorite FreshBooks features, I wanted to share a few things I do to get in the right mindset for conquering my arch-nemesis: numbers. Math has never been my strong suit, and even though FreshBooks takes care of the actual calculating for me, it still stresses me out and I want to be as focused as possible when starting.

• Make a cup of tea or coffee, the ritual will help calm your nerves.
• Put on comfortable clothes.
• Light your favorite candle or diffuse some essential oils.
• Turn off the TV and turn on some music, I like classical when I’m working.
• Grab and snack and make sure you go to the bathroom beforehand to avoid interruptions.
• Try to conquer things during your most productive hours – for me it’s early evening.

Okay, now we’re settled and ready to rock.

As I dive deeper into everything FreshBooks offers, I’ve been using the Projects function that’s a godsend when working with a team or collaborator on blog posts or freelance jobs. Basically, you can invite others in to manage and share information, files and, updates so that you’re all on the same page and no detail gets forgotten. Employees can access the full project, contractors can see steps and invoice you when everything is complete, and clients can share feedback and track progress. I love that it’s a centralized place for files too, no more digging through long chains of never-ending emails!

As we roll into Q4 I’m also paying way more attention to Design Crush’s profitability for the year. FreshBook‘s dashboard makes it plain as day where things stand so I can take a look at where I can improve or what’s going exceptionally well. Reporting takes care of calculating profit and loss statements and the other small business financial reports that I’ll need come tax time without giving me a panic attack. The numbers are all in one place and my accountant can put the Advil back in the medicine cabinet.

Our final FreshBooks post will be in January, when I’ll spill my guts about how this past year has really gone financially. If you have any questions about FreshBooks I’d love to try and help get answers for you from their award-winning rockstars in customer service. In the meantime, you can sign up for a free monthlong trial right here!

This post sponsored by FreshBooks. All words and opinions are my own, as always. Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep Design Crush creating fresh content!

I’m not going to say it because I already know you’re thinking the same thing – how is it October already?! But I can’t complain because it’s my favorite month of the year, the weather finally cooled down as of last week, and I’m beyond ready to put a bunch of decorative gourds on my porch.